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Summary

Drag Affects Spacecraft Movement

This is a news story, published by Gizmodo, that relates primarily to the U.S. Space Force's news.

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spacecraft controllers use aerobraking

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Aerobraking maneuvers
Gizmodo

Gizmodo

•

Science

Science

How Spacecraft Brake in Space Using Nothing but Thin Air

Gizmodo
Summary
Nutrition label

86% Informative

Aerobraking is a type of maneuver that uses the thin air in space to apply a drag force in the direction opposite to a spacecraft's motion.

The process is conceptually similar to how the U.S. Space Force's X-37B used a similar maneuver in 2025 .

Engineers are working on using the drag force to develop more fuel-efficient spacecraft and missions.

Aerobraking maneuvers can result in significant fuel savings.

As humans get closer to landing on the surface of the red planet, the fuel savings could save mass and allow each spacecraft headed to Mars to take more supplies.

The maneuver is not just a maneuver, it has a crucial role to play in the future of space operations and planetary missions and colonization.

VR Score

88

Informative language

87

Neutral language

53

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

50

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

long-living

External references

27

https://directory.statler.wvu.edu/faculty-staff-directory/piyush-mehtahttps://theconversation.com/profiles/piyush-mehta-1321789https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perigeehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/planetary-probeshttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apogeehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/hyperbolic-orbithttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parabolic_hyperbolic_elliptical.svghttps://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/atmosphere/layers-of-atmospherehttps://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-physics/chapter/5-2-drag-forces/https://theconversation.com/spacecraft-can-brake-in-space-using-drag-advancing-craft-agility-space-safety-and-planetary-missions-254038http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/https://www.schoolsobservatory.org/learn/physics/motion/orbitshttps://theconversation.comhttps://images.theconversation.com/files/665499/original/file-20250502-56-5x208q.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=cliphttps://theconversation.com/institutions/west-virginia-university-1375https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4112259/x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle-concludes-seventh-successful-mission/https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/atmosphere/exospherehttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Picture_of_an_elliptical_orbit.jpghttps://www.space.com/low-earth-orbithttps://images.theconversation.com/files/665511/original/file-20250502-62-397q7w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=cliphttps://theconversation.com/nasa-wants-to-send-humans-to-mars-in-the-2030s-a-crewed-mission-could-unlock-some-of-the-red-planets-geologic-mysteries-239814https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/aerobrakinghttps://www.esa.int/Education/3._The_geostationary_orbithttps://science.nasa.gov/mission/odyssey/https://theconversation.com/more-lunar-missions-means-more-space-junk-around-the-moon-two-scientists-are-building-a-catalog-to-track-the-trash-196645https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/circular-orbit

Source diversity

15

directory.statler.wvu.edutheconversation.comscience.nasa.govwww.merriam-webster.comwww.sciencedirect.comcommons.wikimedia.orgwww.noaa.govcourses.lumenlearning.comcreativecommons.orgwww.schoolsobservatory.orgimages.theconversation.comwww.spaceforce.milscied.ucar.eduwww.space.comwww.esa.int

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